Sun, Apr 16, 2006 page3

• China offers economic agreements

  PARTING GIFTS At the end of a two-day meeting with KMT officials, China offered better terms for Taiwanese fruits and other imports to former KMT head Lien Chan

  • AGENCIES
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  China held out a clutch of potential economic agreements with Taiwan yesterday at the end of a meeting in Beijing ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao's (胡錦濤) visit to Washington.

  The announcement came during a visit to Beijing by former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan (連戰), who called for increased trade ties with China.

  Beijing is trying to isolate President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) by forging ties with the pan-blue camp and offering trade concessions to appeal to the nation's farmers.

  China's offers of aviation, agricultural and finance deals came in a statement after a two-day forum between Chinese Communist officials and KMT officials.

  "We must strive to normalize, regularize and stabilize cross-strait economic relations," Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), the chief of the Chinese Communist Party's Taiwan Affairs Office, told the meeting yesterday.

  Chen and other Chinese officials urged Taiwan to agree to negotiate on steadily expanding direct air flights between the two sides. Currently, such flights only happen over the Lunar New Year holiday, and Taiwanese visitors to China must usually change planes in Hong Kong or Macao.

  China also offered to lower barriers for Taiwan-grown fruit, vegetables and other farm goods.

  But the proposals are unlikely to have any direct effect on official government dealings between China and Taiwan, which are frozen by political hostility.

  On Friday, Lien said Taiwan can't succeed economically without China's markets and factories.

  The measures announced yesterday will add four types of Taiwan-grown fruit to a list of 18 varieties that can be imported into China, extend tax-free import status to 11 new types of vegetables and let Taiwanese fishing boats sell their catch in Chinese markets, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

  In addition, Chinese produce-marketing cooperatives will organize buying trips to Taiwan during fruit harvest season, Xinhua said.

  It said China will set up a marketing center in Xiamen, the Chinese port city closest to Taiwan, to "bring convenience and reduce costs for Taiwan's fruit imports."

  Chen, the Chinese official, said Beijing would also:

  -- allow Taiwanese to apply for licenses to practice medicine in China.

  -- expand the number of city governments that are authorized to issue permits for Taiwanese to enter China.

  -- allow Taiwanese to apply for jobs as Chinese customs inspectors.

  -- recognize diplomas issued by Taiwanese universities.

  Beijing announced an earlier round of concessions for Taiwanese farm imports during a visit last year by Lien.

  Taiwanese business executives attending the Beijing meeting said it would increase pressure on Chen to seek agreement with Beijing on flights and other economic issues.

  For your information

  China's proposals

  * Lower barriers for Taiwan-grown fruit, vegetables and other farm goods * Let Taiwanese fishing boats sell their catch in Chinese markets * Organize buying trips for Chinese produce-marketing cooperatives during the fruit harvest season * Set up a marketing center in Xiamen for Taiwanese fruit imports * Allow Taiwanese to apply for licenses to practice medicine in China * Expand the number of city governments authorized to issue permits for Taiwanese to enter China
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